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every harbor, stores were opened as by magic in every acceptable 
roadstead along the southern and western coasts, an active 
competition for furs, oil, ivory, old copper, iron and junk, was 
earnestly inaugurated, commerce revived, the sails of our vessels 
whitened every creek, bay and sound, and the staid Russians 
very soon obtained an insight into Yankee progress on the go- 
ahead principle. 
Topography. The topography of this coast presents varied 
scenery; rugged mountains, craggy promontories, bleak head¬ 
lands and broad valleys. The shores are generally bold and 
clean, offering little obstruction to careful navigation. Mount 
St. Eleas, in the south-eastern angle of the territory, soars high 
in the region of clouds; the highest elevation in our country 
may be seen on a clear day 130 miles at sea. Cape Douglas, 
the south-west angle of Cook’s Inlet, forms a lofty cupola which 
gradually slopes with gentle declivity along the peninsula of 
Alaska, and terminates in a low plateau. Several mountains 
run parallel with the coast and rear their lofty crests heaven¬ 
ward. On a clear day these mountain domes, basking in eternal 
sleet, glittering in the sun’s rays and cutting sharp against the 
azure sky, present the grandest scenery the human eye can wit¬ 
ness ; we have observed these sparkling monuments from the 
vessel, many leagues off shore, — the landscape was romantic 
andjwild. * 
Behring Sea is margined with lower table -lands, the shore 
meanders into bays and coves; the Yukon river empties into 
this sea through various channels, depositing vast quantities of 
sediment which form broad marshes along the coast for leagues, 
and extend for miles into the sea. “ The whole country, from 
Norton’s Sound to Point Barrow, is a vast moorland, 
The aspect of some spots is very gay; May-flowers are large, 
with bright colors, though white predominates, and plants dis¬ 
playing other tints are not uncommon. Cape Lisburn, in lat. 
68° 52, one of the most productive localities, looks like a gar¬ 
den. To prevent the ravages of the scurvy, the Esquimaux 
collect for their stock, raspberries, whortleberries and cranberries. 
. . . In the Arctic sub-regions there are plants which the eye 
is accustomed to meet in the plains of more temperate climates, 
besides annuals and bi-annuals, shrubs and trees. A peculiar 
feature of the vegetation is its harmless character, the poisonous 
plants being few in number and their quality by no means vir¬ 
ulent.” — Davidson, 
